Mentor

[edgaras]

Hello everyone,
we have imported some wood screws from outside the EU, we have a decent price margin of 300-500%, but before expanding our business we would like to get some advice first (basically, how to get onto the shelves and comply with all the requirements - CE mark, bar code, packaging legal requirements, etc.
So we are looking for a mentor/business advisor, who have an experience working with retailers in building industry.

Any recommendations?

Any advice from forum members would be highly appreciated.

Thank you,
Edgaras

 

[Gecko001]

Over to you Clinton!

 

[Clinton]

Thanks, Gecko001.

@edgaras , I'm considered the resident expert on mentors.

...we would like to get some advice first (basically, how to get onto the shelves and comply with all the requirements - CE mark, bar code, packaging legal requirements, etc.

Great questions.

I'm not a mentor, but I could put you in touch with the right expertise. The going price for advice of that nature is £250 + VAT per hour. How many hours of mentoring do you want to book for your starter session? (They are normally booked in blocks of 10 hours and paid for in advance.)

 

[Mr D]

May be a touch cheaper to get in touch with a trade body - retail? No idea which one covers wood screws.

 

[The Byre]

@edgaras , I'm considered the resident expert on mentors.

It really is silly season! Whoopee!

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

It really is silly season! Whoopee!

Serious stuff in 2018 @Clinton is a busy boy navigating new start ups in a non EU environment

I don't think he will get his fingers burnt on this one but I think if it all goes to splinters Clinton and the OP will be screwed

 

[edgaras]

Thanks Clinton for the offer, but we don't have such funds to honour £250/hr bill. £100 at most...

 

[DavidWH]

So you've imported some wood screws, with "a decent price margin".

Without knowing the costs involved such as getting them packaged, purchasing barcodes, and then selling them to retailers, who are probably buying them from the same place you are and packaging them as their own.

 

[ffox]

Thanks Clinton for the offer, but we don't have such funds to honour £250/hr bill. £100 at most...

Consultancy and advisors don't come cheap. You will need to develop your own expertise and the first thing to learn is not to ask blanket questions.

Start here -
https://www.gov.uk/starting-to-import
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ce-marking

and keep following the links. Google is your friend, learn to break your questions into manageable chunks and go seek answers.

 

[Gecko001]

I think part of setting up a business is research and just doing it. There is no perfect way. You will make mistakes. Of course you might need to hire advisors at some stage as you cannot be an expert in everything, but at every step in you business career it will be down to you to make the decisions. The advisors and mentors cannot make those decisions for you.